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Inheritance Crimes, David Horton, Reid Kress Weisbord

Washington Law Review

The civil justice system has long struggled to resolve disputes over end-of-life transfers. The two most common grounds for challenging the validity of a gift, will, or trust— mental incapacity and undue influence—are vague, hinge on the state of mind of a dead person, and allow factfinders to substitute their own norms and preferences for the donor’s intent. In addition, the slayer doctrine—which prohibits killers from inheriting from their victims—has generated decades of constitutional challenges.

But recently, these controversial rules have migrated into an area where the stakes are significantly higher: the criminal justice system. For example, states have criminalized …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Constitutional Law--Congressional Investigations --Relevancy of Required Testimony

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Constitutional Law--State Taxation of Interstate Commerce--Sales Taxation of Income from Trans-Shipment of Goods within State

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Criminal Law--Felony Murder Doctrine--Co-Felon Killed by Victim of Crime

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Evidence--Judicial Admissions--Testimony as to Objective Facts

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Federal Tort Claims Act--"Private Individual" Clause--Uniquely Governmental Activity

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Income Taxation--Capital Gains and Losses--Business Purpose for Contracting in Commodity Futures

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Labor Law--Taft-Hartley Act--Discharge of Employees because of Union Membership

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Negligence--High Tension Power Lines--Duty to Warn of Dangerous Condition

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Real Property--Joint Tenancy--Severance of Estate by Murder of Co-Tenant

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Torts--Landowner--Duty to Social Guest

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Wills--Pretermitted Heir Statue--Sole …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Recent Cases --

Criminal Law--Habitual Criminal--Right of Accused to Counsel under Fourteenth Amendment

Divorce--Alimony Decree Terminating upon Remarriage of Wife--Effect of Annulment of Subsequent Marriage

Divorce--Statutory Modification of Domiciliary Jurisdiction--Congressional Limitation of Power of Territorial Legislature

Labor Law--Unfair Labor Practice--Primary Jurisdiction in NLRB

Life Insurance--Good Health Clause--Existence of Malady Unknown to Insured

Nuisance--Liability for Non-Trespassory Interference with the Use and Enjoyment of Land--Intentional Invasion

Wills--Holographic Codicil--Publication of an Invalid Typewritten Will

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Recent Cases

Agency--Liability of Master for Servant's Acts--State Permit to Operate

Agency--Possession as Indicia of Ownership

Constitutional Law--Aliens--Detention Where Deportations is Impossible

Courts--Contempt--Delay in Summary Punishment

Criminal Law--Habitual Criminal Statutes--Meaning of Previous Conviction Requirement

Domestic Relations--Liability of Husband for Necessaries of Wife Rightfully Living Apart

Income Taxation--Excludibility from Gross Income of Payment over Ceiling Price

Income Taxation--Taxable Income--Claim of Right

Procedure--Grand Jury--Motion to Expunge Defamatory Remarks in Report

Procedure--Statute of Limitations--Retroactive Operation

Statutes--Holding of Unconstitutionality Overruled--Necessity for Re-Enactment

Wills--Contest--Interest of Legatee's Representative

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

Recent Cases

Adverse Possession--Statutes--May One Acquire an Indefeasible Life Estate under Tennessee Code Section 8582

Constitutional Law--Freedom of the Press--Effect of City Ordinance Prohibiting Solicitation of Magazine Subscriptions without Prior Consent of Person Solicited

Constitutional Law--Statutes--Requirement of Loyalty Oath as Valid Exercise of Police Power

Contracts--Procurement of Government Contracts on Contingent Fee Basis--Effect of Executive Order

Criminal Law--Mens Rea--Requirement in Action for Converting Government Property--Necessity for Criminal Intent

Damages--Injury to Child--Expenses of Parent in Attending Child

Divorce--Determination of Place Where Abandonment Occurs--Effect of Residence Requirement for Bringing Action

Domestic Relations--Legitimation Statute--Interpretation and Effect

Evidence--Unreasonable Searches and Seizures--Admissibility of Evidence Obtained …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

RECENT CASES

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW--FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT--REVOCATION OF DRIVER'S LICENSE WITHOUT HEARING

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--ECONOMIC REGULATION--STATE COURT INTERPRETATIONS OF SUBSTANTIVE DUE PROCESS

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--EMINENT DOMAIN FOR SLUM CLEARANCE--EFFECT OF SALE OR LEASE OF PROPERTY TO PRIVATE PERSONS FOR REDEVELOPMENT

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS--STATE SALES TAX ON INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR DEALING WITH FEDERAL AGENCY WHOSE "ACTIVITIES" ARE EXEMPTED

CRIMINAL LAW--EFFECT OF PROOF OF COMPLETED CRIME ON CHARGE OF ATTEMPT--FATAL VARIANCE

FEDERAL JURISDICTION--FORUM NON CONVENIENS--STAY OF FEDERAL ACTION PENDING STATE DECISION

INSANE PERSONS--COMMITMENT PROCEEDINGS--REQUIREMENT OF REASONABLE NOTICE

RIGHT OF PRIVACY--PUBLICATION OF PICTURES AS OFFENSE TO "ORDINARY SENSIBILITIES"--QUESTION OF LAW OR FACT?

TRUSTS--DUALITY OF INTEREST--MERGER OF TITLE …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

RECENT CASES

ATTORNEYS--REINSTATEMENT PROCEEDINGS--JURISDICTION OF DISBARRING COURT

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AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY INSURANCE--ESTOPPEL BY JUDGMENT--PRIOR JUDGMENT AGAINST INSURED AS BAR TO INSURER'S DEFENSE OF LACK OF COVERAGE

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BURGLARY INSURANCE--CRIMINAL ACT OF EMPLOYEE OF INSURED--HARM TO THIRD PERSON AS JUSTIFICATION

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CHATTEL MORTGAGES--MORTGAGEABILITY OF I.C.C. CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY--APPROVAL OF COMMISSION AS CONDITION PRECEDENT

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--DUE PROCESS--MANDATORY MINIMUM PRICE MARK-UPS ON INTOXICATING LIQUORS

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--OATH OF ALLEGIANCE AND OATH OF OFFICE--POWER OF LEGISLATURE TO ENLARGE UPON CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION

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CONVEYANCES--CONSTRUCTION OF LIMITATIONS--ENTAILING LANGUAGE AS WORDS OF PURCHASE OR WORDS OF INHERITANCE

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CRIMINAL LAW--PRIVILEGE OF SELF-DEFENSE--DUTY OF OCCUPANTOF …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

ADJOINING LAN DOWNERS--OVERHANGING BRANCHES--INJUNCTION AGAINST MAINTENANCE REFUSED

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ADMINISTRATIVE LAW--ZONING BOARD--RIGHT OF BOARD TO APPEAL FROM ADVERSE DECISION OF LOWER COURT

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--FREEDOM OF RELIGION--STATUTE OUTLAWING SNAKE-HANDLING

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING TO "UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN" THE CONSTITUTION--EFFECT OF DISCRIMINATORY ADMINISTRATION AGAINST NEGROES

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CONTRACTS--OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE--EFFECT OF ATTEMPTED REVOCATION OF UNILATERAL OFFER AFTER PART PERFORMANCE

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CRIMINAL LAW--DOUBLE JEOPARDY--CONVICTION OF HIGHER OFFENSE ON RETRIAL

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CRIMINAL LAW--LARCENY--SINGLE ACT CONSTITUTING SEPARATE OFFENSES

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FEDERAL JURISDICTION--AMOUNT IN CONTROVERSY--DEGREE OF EVIDENCE REQUIRED

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INSURANCE--INCONTESTABLE CLAUSE--EFFECT ON ACTION BY INSURER TO REFORM POLICY

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LOTTERIES--SLOT MACHINES--FREE GAMES AS PROPERTY OF …

Recent Cases, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW--RADIO LICENSES--FCC CONTROL OF RADIO PROGRAMMING

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW--CORPORATIONS--STATUTE REQUIRING SECURITY FOR COSTS IN STOCKHOLDER'S DERIVATIVE SUIT

CONSTRUCTIVE TRUSTS--TAX SALES--RIGHT OF REMAINDERMAN TO PURCHASE AT TAX SALE TO THE EXCLUSION OF LIFE TENANT

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE--EVIDENCE--EXCLUSION OF VOLUNTARY CONFESSION OBTAINED DURING ILLEGAL DETENTION

DOMESTIC RELATIONS--ALIMONY-POWER OF COURT TO MODIFY OR REMIT PAST DUE INSTALLMENTS

EMINENT DOMAIN--REMOVAL COSTS WHEN PART OF A LEASE IS TAKEN--EFFECT OF RENEWAL OF OPTION TAKING ALL OF LEASE

EVIDENCE--CHARACTER WITNESS FOR ACCUSED--CROSS-EXAMINATION AS TO KNOWLEDGE OF ARREST MANY YEARS PREVIOUSLY

FEDERAL PROCEDURE--FOREIGN CORPORATIONS--WAIVER OF VENUE BY DESIGNATION OF AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS

FULL FAITH AND CREDIT--SUIT …

Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer

Michigan Law Review

The abstracts consist merely of summaries of the facts and holdings of recent cases and are distinguished from the notes by the absence of discussion.

Abstracts, Mary Jane Plumer

Michigan Law Review

The abstracts consist merely of summaries of the facts and holdings of recent cases and are distinguished from the notes by the absence of discussion.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.